British veteran will return to Oz with lottery money

A former Navy Seaman is to return to Australia over 60 years after he served there in World War II. The British veteran will return to Oz with lottery money that has been allocated from the Big Lottery Fund to help British servicemen and women visit places where they were posted during the war.

Tom Barker, an 83 year old war veteran from County Durham is to be flown to Australia where he was based during World War II, after receiving a £5,500 grant from the National Lottery’s Big Lottery Fund. Mr Barker is one of many veterans who have received money as part of the make “remembrance trips” project which allows veterans to make these emotional pilgrimages.

Tom joined the Navy in 1943 and was posted in Australia in 1945 after serving in America and France for two years. While stationed Australia Mr Barker helped to bring prisoners of war back to Sydney from Singapore.

When asked about the impending trip and about his time in the Navy Mr Barker said “I went all over the world, but never got to see much of it while I was working. All these years later, Australia will be a different place. It will be interesting to see it from this angle.”

A spokesperson for the Big Lottery Fund said “Our veterans risked their lives for their country and we are delighted to support them to make pilgrimages to the places where they served.”

Lottery news stories like these are yet another reason to feel good when you buy tickets for the National Lottery or any National Lottery games, which you can play right here at Online Lotto. Every single time that you buy tickets to any of the National Lottery’s games you can feel good about yourself, knowing that no matter which National Lottery game you are playing some of your hard earned money is going to good causes like Tom’s.